Snaefellsjoekull National Park

Those seeking to escape Reykjavik with relative ease should skip over to Iceland’s west coast to set foot in Snæfellsjökull. This rather young national park (established in 2001) perched on a peninsula is actually a 700,000-year-old stratovolcano. What's a stratovolcano you ask? Merely the perfectly conical volcano that every young child learns to draw.

Come armed with a decent camera, for the photo opportunities are endless. Think blackened cliffs, icy blue waters, moss-laden lava fields, punches of orange — be it from strands of kelp or a lighthouse — and a sky that continues to morph into a new persona every few minutes. Pro tip: don’t forget a warm tuque and a proper windbreaker. I was there in late August and it was plenty chilly out!